Aurora: A Child of God

By Joseph N. Padilla

Aurora is the story of a young woman, pure of heart, who lives in ancient Judea at the time of Jesus and the Roman occupation. Named for the new dawn by an angel in her father's dream, even from very young Aurora has visions and dreams of angels. As she grows up with her father, Jonah, her mother Elizabeth, her brother, Gillen, and their dog Auckie, she begins to wonder deeply about the role of women in their faith that follows the teachings of Jesus. When both parents pass away, the siblings are force to leave the small farm for economic reasons to move to Jerusalem to the estate of their uncle, Samuel. It is there that Aurora's destiny is to be fulfilled. For she has been chosen by God to represent women, and to bring the word to the new Christian followers, that women should be able to express and discuss their love for God and Jesus in public. Distressed to learn of Jesus' passing, Aurora meets the High Priest of the Temple of Herod, Eleazar, who guides and teaches her more of Jesus' ways. She too meets Mary Magdalene. All who meet Aurora feel she is blessed by God. But will Aurora be able to reach the Christians followers, not to mention the hostile Jewish Sanhedrin authorities and their followers, at the important meeting at the Garden of Gethsemane? And what actions will the governor, Pontius Pilate take? He who has already executed one guilt of heresy. Aurora is the life and courage of a woman who, blessed by God, and must come to understand the role set before her to speak up amongst a people that forbids her to do so.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Proisle Publishing Services
• Release date: Oct 4, 2022
• ISBN: 9781959449348

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A Child of God

Copyright © 2022 by Joseph N. Padilla

ISBN:s978-1-959449-34-8

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher disclaims any responsibility for them.

Unless otherwise indicated, Bible quotations are taken from the King James Version.

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

Proisle Publishing Services LLC 1177 6th Ave 5th Floor

New York, NY 10036, USA Phone: [phone])

[e-mail]

CONTENTS

In Memory      i

Dedicated      ii

Commentary      iii

Notation      v

Characters      vi

Chapter 1 Morning Light      1

Chapter 2 A Tax Surprise      7

Chapter 3 A Turn in Life      12

Chapter 4 The Return of A Stranger      16

Chapter 5 Is it Really You?      20

Chapter 6 I Am Called Michael      24

Chapter 7 Burned Milk and A Giggle      28

Chapter 8 By the Love of his Dog      33

Chapter 9 I Go Without Worry      37

Chapter 10 Witness the Baptizing      44

Chapter 11 Bad Boy to Good Boy      51

Chapter 12 Age and Knowledge      57

Chapter 13 When Sorrow Comes      61

Chapter 14 Death, Sorrow, and Hope      65

Chapter 15 Good News, Sad News      71

Chapter 16 A Time to Die, A Time to Live      78

Chapter 17 A Sad Goodbye      88

Chapter 18 A New Journey      93

Chapter 19 Who Knows the Way?      100

Chapter 20 A Messenger of God      106

Chapter 21 Lost and Found      110

Chapter 22 More Than A Welcome      114

Chapter 23 A New World Awaits      118

Chapter 24 Who is it that Calls      124

Chapter 25 Left Without an Answer      128

Chapter 26 With God and Friends      135

Chapter 27 A Painful Memory      139

Chapter 28 The Invitation      146

Chapter 29 What is to be Next      152

Chapter 30 Call Me Emil      156

Chapter 31 Temper, Temper      162

Chapter 32 A Memory of the Past      165

Chapter 33 Mary – A Story Told      172

Chapter 34 Pilate’s Authority      179

Chapter 35 Morning Dawn      188

In Memory

In loving memory of Sister Rosalie Marie Valstoa - April 23,

- 2013

Who has brought much love and hope to many in Christ Jesus; peace be with you and thank you for your support you gave me in all my novels?

Now I present to you, Sister Marie, AURORA a child of God.

Also, in memory of my loving wife,

Alta May (Adams) Padilla – Dec. 12 - 1936 – Aug. – 12 - 2005 . . . who is with God.

Knowing that her time was near and could not speak due to her illness, she wrote this note, and handed it to me. A tear felt memory. In July – 11 - 2005

To my sweetie.

When the sun shines through.

When the ocean is blue, I’ll think of you.

When the roses bloom, they seem to play a tune, Saying, I adore you.

Dedicated

By age and memory

To My great, great, grandmother, Chanute G. Newman My grand-mother Mary Newman Padilla

My grand-mother Rosalie P. Segura My mother Juanita Segura Padilla

My sister Mary France Padilla Hurtado My wife Alta May Adams Padilla

My daughter Kathrynn Ellen Padilla Meza My daughter Elizabeth Lisa Padilla White My nieces, Rose, Carol, Debbie and, Jeanie

These are the memories of the women in my life.

And to all women, young and old that have walked this world since the beginning of time. Walk in peace; know this: that Jesus is on your side.

Amen.

Commentary

It is very hard to describe the crucifixion of Jesus, for there have been many views and interpretations by numerous historians over the past 2000 years and as far back as the book of Isaiah [Isaiah 7:14]. I myself have described the passion of the cross in different ways in all three of my novels; now, in a new perspective in my upcoming novel, AURORA, you will see similar facts from a different point of view, and you will feel the pain, and the sorrows that only a mother can experience who is forced to see her beloved son executed in such fierce cruelty.

The punishment for blasphemy was death within the Jewish community of Jesus’ time. The Sadducees and the Pharisees had no power to condemn to death, so in Jerusalem they had to convince the Roman procurator Pontius Pilate to authorize his authority to do so.

Though times have changed, anger has no grace; murder begins in the heart, and you don’t have to kill to have murder in your heart.

These sins I call Envy and Hate.

It is incumbent upon all of us to acknowledge these sins and receive forgiveness from God who has loved us since the beginning of time. Christianity is not a religion in which man reaches to know God. It is God who approaches

his creatures and makes it possible for them to know Him. [Philippians. 2:13]. For, it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

[Ecclesiastes-3:1].To everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven. Be still my soul and know that He is God.

I have never been to or visited the Holy Land, yet I see and feel the differentness in how people of that area had to live in order to be able to express their way of believes, whether Jew or Gentile.

The artistic vision that God has given me is just as if I had been there.

This image I bring to you in my story is the knowledge that God has sent his only begotten Son who came to teach us, to love, and forgive one another.

[Romans - 15:7. Therefore to receive one another, as Christ also received us, to the glory of God].

As for the women of that time, they had no voice to speak out concerning what God had put in their hearts. The women did not seek to be priestesses in the temples, just disciples free to express in public the love for the one who came to give life... Jesus.

Notation

Unless otherwise indicated, Bible quotations are taken from, the Old and the New King James Bible.

To the concerned readers.

To anyone who thinks that I am adding stories to the Bible, this is not the case.

My stories are a form of entertainment in the history at the time of Christ in about A. D. 38.

In my stories there is much history of that time that the Lord has given me to share with my readers.

The characters I have created are just like in a movie. I created them to tell my vision of how life was for the people of that time. Joseph N.

Characters

Aurora (Main Character) (Aurora – ah-row-raw) Jonah (Aurora’s father)

Elizabeth (Aurora’s mother) Samuel (Jonah’s brother) Saul (Jonah’s father)

Gillen (Jonah’s son/ Aurora’s brother)

Edya (Edya, called Edie for short) (Samuel’s wife)

Michael (Faithful Friend of Samule) Amanda (Elizabeth’s little sister) Noel (Amanda’s husband)

Abe (Aurora’s grandfather)

Gabriel / Anna (Noel’s brother and wife) Nogg & Auckie (Family’ dogs)

Salas (Samuel’s servant)

Manuel (A stranger/friend)

Nanna Isabel (Dear friend of Samuel)

Eleazar (3rd High Priest at the Temple)

Thomas / Mary (New friends of Aurora & Gillen) Mary Magdala (Disciple of Christ)

Emil (Massinger of Christ)

AURORA A CHILD OF GOD

Chapter 1

Morning Light

About eight kilometers northwest from the town of Jericho, and west of the Jordon River, lived a man by the name of Jonah, a goat and sheep herder. The shepherd’s family had lived there for many years, he was the only one left to take care of the family’s land, which was nestled in the Jericho valley. After the passing of his parents, Jonah and Elizabeth had been living there intending to raise a family. Elizabeth was a beautiful young woman; she was two years younger than Jonah. She had auburn hair that highlighted her brown eyes. As for Jonah, he was a very handsome man in his twenties, with hazel eyes and a smile that welcomed everyone he met. The two worked very hard just to survive with what little they had. Jonah has a brother named Samuel, who has not been heard of in years. Their home was made out of rock and adobe and surrounded by a few trees and a well. It was somewhat small; the house had two rooms, a good size kitchen with a large rock oven and a pantry. Their piece of land was handed down to Jonah by his father Saul, knowing that Jonah would be the only left to tend the land after he passed on. As for Samuel, he is thought to be dead.

Due to the hard times, Jonah offered a parcel of his land to his father-in-law, Abe, for forty goats, some sheep, and a ram. Abe also threw in an old pup with the deal.

Not knowing if this would be a hard job Jonah also had to learn to milk the goats, which gave him some trouble. But with the help of his father-in-law, he became a shepherd-herdsman. The pup was slow for he had no training; Jonah had to train him the best he could. As for himself, he had learned much on his own, but with the help of his wife, everything went well for them. His family was Jewish and had very little knowledge about the new upcoming Christian movement followers, of the one called Jesus. Saul had tough his family what little he knew about the coming of Jesus from the tablets of the profit called Isaiah [Isaiah- 7:14].

Jonah would go to the back of the house every morning and pray for guidance, wisdom, and knowledge, and to give thanks for Elizabeth, for she was with child. Every day, his task was to take the goats and sheep to graze in the open field, which was quiet a distance from the house. By midday, he would return home before the blazing sun become too hot. The pup had become a very good herd-dog; Jonah called him Nogg, and the dog would do most of the flock tending when out in the field.

Every evening, Jonah and Elizabeth would milk the goats and prepare the milk, so Elizabeth could start making cheese in the morning. This was a trade handed down to her by her mother. After a few hours, she would drain the whey and separate the cheese shaping it into blocks. When finished, by late afternoon, she and Jonah would walk to the village square where the local farmers would gather to trade or sell their goods. This is where Jonah and Elizabeth sold their cheese to the local town-people, as the two were

well known by many. They had to sell at least six blocks of cheese a week in order to have enough money to buy barley and wheat for Elizabeth to make bread and porridge, and for a few necessities needed around the house. Sometimes, with a little luck, the sale of cheese would be good, for they did need all the extra mites (change) they could earn through the sale of the cheese.

As time went on, things had become a bit difficult for Elizabeth because she was now about eight months along with child.

Early one morning long before the sun was up; Jonah was on his way to tend the flock. He and Nogg would walk southwest to his favorite spot where he would sit and lean against the sandstone rock while the goats and sheep grazed. What he enjoyed the most at this time of the year were the unusual reflections of the Northern Lights which seemed to be far off, and took place just before the sunrise. (The Northern Lights are known as The Aurora Borealis.)

Unknown to Jonah, the lights were coming from the northern skies.

On this day, he sat there daydreaming that his first child would be a healthy boy, and soon fell asleep. Nogg would take care of the flock and Jonah. If anything went wrong, Nogg would alert Jonah. This was a typical day for them.

Back at the house Elizabeth was feeling a bit of discomfort. Suddenly, her water broke. But how could this be! Her time was too early, at least a good month away. However, she was feeling the pain that only a mother could feel. Slowly she started to prepare for the voyage of her first birth. Feeling lost and scared, she managed to prepare a short blanket and spread it on the kitchen floor. She was

very scared for there was no one to assist her. She sat waiting for the moment to arrive. Finely she had to lie on the floor, for the pain had started, and she let out a loud scream that could be heard a long distance, but no one heard her call for assistance. She leaned against the wall, with the only thing to hold on being the leg of the table, luckily, the table was heavy and stable. She screamed with agony for as her labor progressed. She grabbed the leg of the table and grunted loudly and made a great push, soon, she heard a cry. Very weak, she lay there for a moment, but finely was, able to reach her child. It was a baby girl. She was so tiny and weighed less than five pounds. Elizabeth wrapped her child with swaddling cloth she had prepared some time back, made from some of the cheesecloth that she used for wrapping cheese. When she looked at her baby, what she saw looking back at her was a sweet baby with squinty eyes and a face that seemed to be smiling. She could not take her eyes away from the baby. Although her daughter was premature, she was perfect.

At the same time, Jonah was resting, he felt restless. He soon fell asleep and started to dream about his Elizabeth and how she looked so beautiful in her condition. When an angel appeared in his dream and said to him, "Your wife has given you a woman child, and you will call her ‘Aurora’ (meaning morning dawn in Latin), for she will be as bright as the Northern Lights that are so brilliant before you."

At this point in his dream, he was awakened by Nogg. The dog had heard the echo of Elizabeth’s cry and knew something was wrong. Jonah got up very quickly, wondering what was happening after the dream he had just had, and now Nogg was reacting very strangely. Nogg’s whimpering would not leave him alone, and this worried Jonah. Nogg’s ears perked up once again, as he heard the

echo of Elizabeth’s cry, once more, with his sensitive hearing. He would not leave Jonah alone. Jonah looked around and saw nothing going on with the flock, but now he had a feeling that his uneasiness had to be something with Elizabeth. He told Nogg to stay and take care of the flock. Nogg obeyed all commands coming from Jonah.

Jonah took off at a fast trot. The house was about one kilometer away. He picked up speed and started to run faster. When he reached the house, perspiration was pouring from out of his body. He rushed through the open door in search of Elizabeth. At that moment, he heard the cry of a child. Racing to where Elizabeth was sitting on the kitchen floor, he found her leaning against the wall holding their daughter wrapped in cheesecloth. Jonah was surprised, for the birth was much too early. But without hesitation he picked his child up and took note that it was a little girl. Immediately he said, "She will be called Aurora .

. . she will be my morning star, as told to me by an angel in a dream." Elizabeth said nothing, although to her the name was rather unusual; she had never heard such a name, but she accepted it without